Monday, 23 March 2015

Diary of an Honest Naturalista: Week 94

Things are going well so far at work. So far, I have been able to be sane and professional about styling my hair. I pray I can maintain this for much more longer, until my natural hair becomes a norm to my colleagues. Once everyone gets used to it, I can then decide to be adventurous.

There are about four female colleagues of mine on natural hair, but they are all on low cut. Three of them, all mothers, have been wearing low cut for years so I doubt they intend growing their hair out in the nearest future. The last one, Yemisi, did her big chop three months ago, skin cut to be exact. She is young, single, tall, and has the body structure of a runway model, therefore making the very low cut fit her. I don’t know if she is going to grow her hair out or she will spotting eccentric haircuts and side shaves. She doesn’t look like someone who will rock the usual regular natural hair styles like twists, buns and updos. I believe the office environment keeps her eccentricities under check. But what I know is this – she won’t be relaxing her hair! She told me so herself. I just can’t wait for her hair to grow longer, so at least, I can have a partner in crime.

Shocking of all, there is a guy in my office. He looks just like every other regular guy out there. 90% of the staff, including the management don’t know his secret which he recently revealed to me. How is that possible?

Well, I was on my own, minding my business on my way to the ladies, when this guy, TJ, hailed me, telling me he likes my hair. I smiled and thanked him for the compliment. During lunch, the next afternoon, Yemisi left me alone at my table, as she had to run up to quickly clear up some backlog. TJ quickly sat opposite me, and engaged me in a discussion which turned out to be very interesting.

“Really?” I wondered if he considered mine unusual, as I was just on regular twists.
“Yes o. Anna, right?”

“Yes, it’s Anna.”

“So what do you think about dread locks. What’s your opinion?”

“I’m kinda indifferent for now, but I think it looks great. I believe people should just do whatever works for them. As long as it looks beautiful on a lady, I guess it’s fine.” I said with a nonchalant attitude.

“What of guys? What do you think about dread locks on men?”

“Well, I don’t know. I haven’t really thought of it.”

Hmm, he looked at me for a while, as if he was in deep thoughts, observing me thoroughly. He works in the accounting department, joined the company about 5 months ago, has a very slight accent, and relocated from Pennsylvania, as I had gathered from people’s gists.

“Can I tell you a secret?” he final said, after his slight session of observation.

“Of course you can.” I answered eagerly. Who doesn’t like to hear gists?

“I am on dread locks!”

For a moment, I thought TJ had gone mad, and I didn’t know what to say. Or is there a way to communicate with mad men? I looked at his head, and there was no difference between him and the other guys around me. And here he was, telling me that he’s on dread locks. Someone must be crazy here, and it definitely wasn’t me.

The look on my face told him what I thought of him at that moment. “Insane liar!”

“Come, let me show you something.” He said.

By this time, we had finished our lunch. We went behind the cafeteria, which was quiet and solitary. He looked round to make sure no one was there, and before I knew it, I was staring at TJ, only that he was on dreadlocks! Short and full locs!

What? It had been a wig all along. I mean this guy was wearing a wig like the one Al Jolson wore when he was doing blackface in the 1927 The Jazz Singer movie. He looked just like every other guy other there, on a normal day. I was shocked!

The wig, the dread locks, everything!

So yes, there is a guy with dread locks in my office, and almost no one knows.

I wonder how many people are hiding their true identities with one disguise or the other!

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